Coachella Valley Vector Control will be on property to treat for Red Imported Fire Ants, Friday, March 23, 2018. All common areas and parks will be closed for treatment from March 23 at 7:00 AM and reopen the following day at its normal time.

Coachella Valley Vector Control has provided the following information regarding the treatment product: Control product are water soluble and will render ineffective when in contact with water. Control product are made at a very low dosage, enough to kill an ant and should not harm pets. If you have any pets, please keep them indoors while the technicians are on property for safety precaution.

If you have any questions, please contact the Association’s Facilities Maintenance Department at 760-345-4349 ext. 2401.

This content was republished with permission from Associa Advantage partner, Dunn Edwards Paint. Associa Advantage partners provide savings on household goods and services used by Associa community homeowners and associations. Visit AssociaAdvantage.com to discover savings from Dunn-Edwards and other Advantage partners.

Interested in updating your interior with a little refresh? One way to liven up your home is with a fresh new coat of paint, inside and out! It’s a relatively inexpensive fix to the doldrums. I, personally, like to update my interior walls every four to five years. The colors available now are endless and with a little dramatic wall here or there, you can really make quite a statement using just a little paint.

Dunn Edwards has announced their 2018 Color of the Year…

Drum roll please…Dunn-Edwards®, 2018 Color of the Year, The Green Hour (DET544), draws inspiration from turn-of-the-century Paris, when 5 o’clock became known as “The Green Hour”. A darker shade of gray blue-green, this color embodies the timeless sense of mystery and creative revelry of the era.

Sara McLean, color expert and stylist for Dunn-Edwards, spent months researching global color trends and influences to provide a final Color of the Year selection. Her research revealed that green is trending in all color values — cool greens, warm greens, blackened greens, complex greens, gray-greens and many others. And, more importantly, variations on this color have been trending over recent time — lighter cactus and mint greens, to darker teal and blue-greens, paired with a variety of other hues including the highly popular Millennial pink, rose and deep fuchsia.

So, get out there and update those walls of yours, as you see fit! Your walls will thank you!

United States Flags at Half-Staff Immediately Until Sunset Monday, February 19, 2018

Presidential Proclamation Honoring the Victims of the Tragedy in Parkland, Florida

Our Nation grieves with those who have lost loved ones in the shooting at the Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida. As a mark of solemn respect for the victims of the terrible act of violence perpetrated on February 14, 2018, by the authority vested in me as President of the United States by the Constitution and the laws of the United States of America, I hereby order that the flag of the United States shall be flown at half-staff at the White House and upon all public buildings and grounds, at all military posts and naval stations, and on all naval vessels of the Federal Government in the District of Columbia and throughout the United States and its Territories and possessions until sunset, February 19, 2018. I also direct that the flag shall be flown at half-staff for the same length of time at all United States embassies, legations, consular offices, and other facilities abroad, including all military facilities and naval vessels and stations.

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand this fifteenth day of February, in the year of our Lord two thousand eighteen, and of the Independence of the United States of America the two hundred and forty-second.

The process used by the Committee in the responding to questions asked of the Treasurer, the Controller or the FAC on the financial statements of the HOA

The communication process utilized in responding to questions

History

The Board approved a Board Action Form (BAF) prepared and approved by the Committee in August 2016 recommending the posting of a new position, Controller, for the HOA at their meeting in September 2016. The Committee interviewed candidates in the months of October and November 2016. Associa (PCM) made an offer of employment to Tyler Ingle in December 2016 and he started employment with Associa as Controller for the HOA in January 2017.

Since then, as and when either the Treasurer, the Committee or the Controller receive a question on the audited or unaudited financial statements of the HOA, a process was established and has been utilized in preparing a written response to the question as outlined below.

Process for response

If the question from a unit owner has not been communicated in writing, the unit owner is requested to take the time to write out the question. Upon receipt of the written inquiry, the unit owner is notified in writing that the question has been received and a response will be prepared. The members of the Board of Directors of the HOA are also notified of the question that has been asked. The Controller then reviews the question and reviews the accounting records and financial statements so that he can draft a written response to the unit owner. The Committee and the Treasurer of the HOA review the draft written response and approve any proposed changes to the memo. The written response includes a copy of the question posed by the unit owner in addition to the response.

Communication of response

The final approved written response is then provided to:

The unit owner who asked the question

The members of FAC

The members of the Board of Directors of the HOA

The Communication Manager of the HOA for posting to the HOA website

Timeframe for written response

We endeavor to provide a timely, factual response within two weeks of receipt of the written inquiry. As you may be aware, our Controller and others are quite busy at this time of the year with the annual audit and the goal to have the 2017 audited financial statements issued on or before March 2, 2018. So, if you write out a question at this time, there may be a slight delay in the written response due to the focus on completing the work needed for the issuance of the audited financial statements.

The process used by the Committee in the evaluation of candidates to join FAC

The criteria utilized by the Committee in the evaluation of candidates to join FAC

The communication process utilized by the Committee in the evaluation process

The process utilized by the Committee to make a written recommendation to the Board of Directors (Board)

History

I joined the Committee in June 2016 upon approval of the Board and have been Chairman of the Committee since September 2016 upon approval by the Board (Acting Chairman in August 2016). The Committee is authorized to have seven members. Those serving with me on the Committee in order of length of current service are:

Bruce Marley

Fera Mostow

Larry Helseth

Larry Anderson

John Deshaw

Steve Proia

Advisory Committee Interest Forms

Since August 2016 through the date of this article, the Executive Assistant to the General Manager of the HOA have furnished to me twelve (12) Advisory Committee Interest Forms which were completed by individuals expressing an interest in joining FAC.

Process for initial contact with candidate

I then follow up by email with the candidate:

Advising the candidate that I received their Advisory Committee Interest Form

Informing the candidate if there are openings on the Committee

Requesting the candidate to complete and return to me and the HOA management office some specific additional information on a one-page summary of the candidate’s qualities, experience, expertise and service on other Advisory Committees or Chartered Clubs

Upon receipt of the additional information requested from the candidate, I then furnish to the candidate the current Charter and Mission of the Committee approved by the Board and I schedule an interview with the members of the Committee

Criteria for candidates

During the summer of 2016, the Committee developed a list of certain qualities (including diversity and core values), experience and expertise that were desired when interviewing and evaluating candidates for the FAC. The experience and expertise (which is reviewed routinely, at least quarterly) include but is not limited to the following:

Financial background including budgets and forecasts

Fund accounting and financial reporting – not for profit

HOA accounting and financial reporting

Golf course accounting and financial reporting

F&B accounting and financial reporting

Risk management and insurance

Contracts and contract compliance

Treasuring and banking

Cyber security and information technology

Payment card industry (PCI compliance)

Legal background

Income tax background

Research and analysis

Interview of candidates

The members of the FAC interview a candidate for approximately thirty minutes to understand the information that the candidate has provided to the Committee and to learn how the candidate believes they can add value to the Committee. The Committee then discusses the qualities, experience and expertise of the candidate. The Committee develops a consensus on whether the Committee will recommend to the Board that the candidate be added to the Committee. The conclusion of the Committee is documented in the minutes of the FAC meeting which are submitted to the Board monthly.

Communication with candidate

If the Committee has agreed to recommend that the candidate be added to the FAC, I then:

Prepare a Board Action Form (BAF) that is approved by the Committee and sent to the HOA management office for inclusion in the meeting package for the next Board meeting

Attach to the BAF the following items:

Advisory Committee Interest Form completed by the candidate

Summary of candidate’s qualities, experience and expertise together with a summary of FAC member’s qualities, experience and expertise

Advise the candidate in writing that:

The FAC developed a consensus to recommend that the candidate be added to the Committee, subject to Board approval

The FAC has prepared a written recommendation for the candidate to be reviewed by the Board

If the Committee has developed a consensus to not recommend that the candidate be added to FAC, I advise the candidate in writing of that conclusion and the principal reasons for that conclusion.

Board

We understand the Board reviews the BAF’s in Executive Session of a Board meeting. The Board liaison, Carey Thompson, Treasurer then informs me whether or not the Board approved the BAF submitted by the FAC. Upon approval by the Board, I then notify the candidate in writing that they have been approved by the Board to join the FAC.

Results

A big thank you to the FAC members listed above who participate in this process. We have open dialogue to develop a consensus. A bigger thank you to the Committee members for developing a consensus on the candidates that are interviewed to join the Committee. Of the twelve candidates that prepared and submitted Advisory Committee Interest Forms since August 2016: six were recommend by FAC to be added to the Committee and were approved by the Board to join the Committee; five were not recommended by FAC to be added to the Committee; and, one did not fill out the additional information requested by the Committee and therefore was not interviewed.

Steve is the newest volunteer to join the Finance Advisory Committee (FAC) as a result of the Board approving the FAC recommendation to add Steve to the FAC at its Board meeting on January 29.

Steve has been a resident of our community since November 2012, commuting to Pasadena to work at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) on Monday’s and returning to Sun City Shadow Hills (SCSH) at the end of each week until he retired in February of 2015. In his 32 years at JPL, Steve was involved in a broad range of administrative activities and spent the last 5 years as the Lab’s Chief Financial Officer and Director for Business Operations.

Steve spent the last couple of years unwinding from his career, playing golf, spending time with friends, and thoroughly enjoying everything that SCSH has to offer. Steve even met his fiancé, Diane, at a concert on the Shadow Hills driving range and the two will be married in February.

After relaxing for a couple of years, Steve realized he needed more to fill his time than golf. He recently got his Real Estate license and is working for HK Lane part-time. Steve volunteered for the FAC to help the community remain strong for years to come. He believes that his background in finance, contracts, and facilities management is helpful to the committee. In addition, Steve is also a member of the Board of Directors for a Credit Union with assets of $1.6 billon.

Steve has already attended the FAC special meeting on December 27, 2017 as well as the FAC regular meeting on January 19.

Introductory price $20.00 per person/ receive a 15% OFF a bottle of wine coupon for Shadows Restaurant. To sign up visit Montecito fitness center.

Vino & Vinyasa a “Journey of the Senses” We will utilize conscious breathing, yoga principles and poses to relax the mind and body, stimulate blood flow, reduce/release stress and combine this with the craft of wine tasting of different wines using one’s pallet, and engaging our senses to receive and create a meaningful and spiritual experience.

Tai Chi & Aqua Tai Chi with Dr. Haberkorn

Help me welcome Dr. Haberkorn to the Sun City Family; and listen to the podcast interview we did with him two weeks ago. Accessible through the website.

Starting February, he will be teaching “Sun Tai Chi” every Wednesday at 5:30 PM in the Montecito Fitness Center. As well as “Aqua Tai Chi” two Saturdays a month in the indoor pool at 10:00 AM.

The dates for February are the 3rd & 17th, the future dates will be posted on the group exercise schedule.

Weekend classes

Happy to announce we are now offering weekend classes, in addition to Dr. Haberkorn’s “Aqua Tai Chi” there will be Saturday morning classes at Santa Rosa Fitness; Mat sculpt (a combination of mat pilates and strength) at 8:00 AM as well as Yoga at 9:00 AM both classes with Chanel

New Pilates Reformers

They have arrived!!! Thank you to all the reformer Pilates participants for your patience, we now have nine brand new reformers, boxes and all the accessories to enjoy a state of the art class conducted by our certified instructors Robyn and Chanel. Our classes will now allow for one more person to join in. packages of 10 for $120.00 are now being sold. Stop by at Montecito Fitness desk for details and availability.

The benefits of working on a reformer: The reformer offers all the famous benefits of Pilates including overall strength, flexibility, coordination, and balance. These things, in turn, lead to daily life improvements like better posture, graceful, efficient movement, and for many, relief from pain associated with physical imbalances such as back pain.

The reformer offers all of these Mat Pilates core-building benefits and more. The resistance of the pulley and spring system offers more resistance than what you get with just your body weight on a mat. You'll achieve even better posture and coordination while getting stronger.

Friday January 19 Our First “coffee with Dr. Underwood” will take place at 9:00 AM at the Monterey Room located inside the Santa Rosa Clubhouse. Dr. underwood will come in each third Friday of the month between January and April to talk about specific topics while we sip on coffee or tea, ask questions, and learn how we can be proactive on our health and wellness.

Saturday January 27 The first of our two introductory “Vino & Vinyasa” with Honri Marcel, a certified Yoga Instructor with over 25 years of experience. This event will be a journey of the senses taking place in a small private session combining the principles of yoga and wine tasting in unison. The introductory price to participate is $20 per person and you will receive a 15% off a bottle of wine coupon to Shadows Restaurant. Limited space available, to sign up visit Montecito Fitness center.

Wednesday February 7 Health and Wellness lecture #7: “Weight No More . . . the Seven Secrets to Body Transformation Revealed.” Dr. Anthony Scarcella MD, JD. and Spiritual Psychologist Elizabeth Scarcella. This will take place at the front half Montecito Ballroom at 5:00 PM, RSVP required. Please stop by at either desk or email me directly at valeria.batross@associa.us. All lectures are complimentary.

Highlights

Adult swimming lessons are back! Our next series will run February 14 – March 2 and will be held on Wednesdays and Fridays at 1:15 – 2:00 PM. For details, contact swim instructor Karen Creasey at karen@karencreasey.com.

Aqua Tai Chi and Sun Tai Chi. Help me welcome Dr. Robert Haberkorn who will be joining us this February. He will be conducting Sun Tai Chi Wednesdays at 5:30 PM at Montecito Fitness Center and Aqua Tai Chi twice a month on Saturdays at 10:00 AM in the Montecito Indoor Pool. For February it will be the 3rd and 17th. Dates will be posted on the schedule.

Pilates and Yoga! Chanel will be leading two classes back to back Saturday mornings, what a great way to invigorate ourselves for the weekend. 8:00 AM and 9:00 AM at Santa Rosa Fitness Center.

Recently all households in Sun City Shadow Hills received a a critically important red and green laminated card. This card is an important piece of our community’s emergency preparedness initiative.

Here’s how it works:

In the event of an extreme event - such as “the big one” - a serious earthquake, residents are asked to place the card in a street facing window with the appropriate color facing the street.

Green Side - means you and your residence are OK and need no assistance.

Red Side - means that you or your residence needs some kind of help.

The Emergency Preparedness Sub-Committee, under the direction of Jeff Kirkpatrick, have put together a Windshield Survey Team whose mission is to cruise each of our 20 residential tracts, report damage and call for help.

This program is brilliant in its simplicity. Keep this card where it is easily accessible and make sure you and your neighbors understand its role.

For many of us shopping is fun, but sometimes it can feel overwhelming – like when your shopping with emergency preparedness in mind.

Preparedness is a process and like all processes it takes time. The important thing is to start.

Here’s a short “Starter List” to get you going. Consider adding these items to your weekly shopping trip. When you get home from shopping, date consumables with a permanent marker and store in a closet or cabinet designated for Preparedness. All perishables should be rotated annually.

Starter List:

Bottled Water

A few extra cans of non-perishable food items

Pet food and supplies

Hygiene items

Flashlight

Extra batteries

Manual can opener

Work gloves

This is a partial list of things we should all have on hand in the event of a disaster. For a more complete list check the Emergency Preparedness spinner rack at the Montecito Clubhouse Lifestyles Desk.

The Internet is also a great resource. Google is your friend. Search: "Disaster Preparedness," "Emergency Preparedness," and "Earthquake Preparedness" for starters.

Preparation and self-sufficiency are the keys to disaster survival. Let’s get shopping for the items we need.

Disclaimer: Neither the Association nor the management company made any revisions, alterations, and/or corrections to the information submitted by the candidates. The information was transferred exactly as submitted.

Robert Israel

Washington Resident “Snowbird”, SCSH since April 2007

University of Washington B.A.1966;
Harvard Law School, J.D. 1969
US Army Active Duty and Reserves 1969-1975

Possess leadership tools and experience to be a Director, and make this a “kinder, gentler place” with greater homeowner input, access and participation. SCSH Governing Documents Revision Committee, 2016-2017. Men’s Golf Club Member 2015-present.

Though a snowbird, in this electronic age, Board service is clearly possible, willing to use air miles to attend as many Board meetings “live” as necessary.

Running as an Independent Candidate and have not sought endorsement by any groups. Just another homeowner.

Agi Kessler

As a current member of our HOA board of Directors, I have worked with my fellow board members to make good decisions for our community. Representing you the Homeowners has been an honor and I am asking for your vote to be re-elected. I will continue to serve with an open mind and ear, to keep SCSH fiscally sound and a safe and friendly place to live.

I have spent 30years in business in finance, many of those a CFO of a high tech company where I was responsible for international contract negotiations and budgets. I have had my own successful consulting firm for many years. I am capable, calm, approachable and will listen.

I have worked to make sure our financials are now consolidated into one, worked hard to makes sure no big increase to your HOA dues, and working to recover our financial discrepancy!

Bruce Marley

Following a 39 year career in finance, and 8 years of retirement, I have decided to run for the SCSH HOA Board. My background includes management, treasury functions, finance, investments, and extensive community service. During my working career, primarily in the Seattle/Tacoma area, among other responsibilities I held senior, and executive management positions in the banking industry, plus served as Treasurer in a public company. Additionally, I have served on numerous non-profit community boards to include Chamber of Commerce, Economic Development, the Arts, Education, and others.

Since Claudia and I moved to this great community in 2011, I have served on the Men’s Golf Club board, currently as president, and am currently serving on the Finance Advisory Committee. I have always served the communities I have lived and worked in, believing it is a responsibility, and wish to serve on your board.

Fera Mostow

I’ve been a homeowner here for over 12 years and know how critical a qualified HOA Board of Directors is to our community.

I’ve been a practicing California attorney for over 30 years, with an undergraduate degree in Accounting, and a Masters in Psychology. I was a Business & Legal Affairs Executive for two multi-billion dollar California Corporations. Prior to that I was an IRS attorney handling large deficiency trials.

I’ve served on 5 HOA Advisory Committees: Covenants, Design Review, Information, Chair of the Governing Documents Committee and I currently serve on the Finance Advisory Committee. Outside our gates I serve as General Counsel for “Wings of Rescue” which saved over 4,000 pets after the hurricanes this summer.

I have the qualifications, experience and good judgment to be part of our HOA Board of Directors and, if given the honor to serve, I will represent all homeowners with honesty and integrity.

George Stephens

I built a multimillion dollar 50 year dental business with 18 employees. I served my country for 28 years achieving the rank of colonel in United States Army. My wife Marianna and I have been married 57 years. We have lived in Shadow Hills for eight years and love it. My wife and I jumped into the Sun City shadow Hills club scene with both feet. In building our practice I dealt with difficult problems every day and I enjoyed it. I also dealt with all aspects of running a multimillion dollar business – – managing employees, making payroll, analyzing problems and working with others to solve them in a practical matter. As a soldier discipline and patience were both important. When elected, my promise to you is that I will represent the best interest of all residents– – to be honest and represent you with integrity.

Consider this, if an emergency hits “Who you gonna call?” You probably know who you would want to call, but do you have their contact info readily available? Do they have yours? Is it current?

Families come together this time of year. It’s one of the best things about the holidays - that and lots of desserts. Consider starting a family tradition of creating/updating everyone’s contact information.

Complete this for each family member:

Name:Home Address:
City, State, Zip
Phone:

Work:Address:
City State Zip
Phone:

Date of Birth:Social Security Number:
Important Medical Info:

Also record Out-of-State Contacts, such as family members not living in “paradise”.

Make sure all family members have this list. Plan to update as needed, but at a minimum once per year. All of us have cell phones, do your best to keep contact info current. It’s a good idea to keep a paper copy of this information too. It’s a low-tech back up plan that can’t be knocked offline.

To learn more about communication plans and overall preparedness, plan to attend:

We are getting ready for the CC&R’s and Bylaws vote in early 2018, as well as the HOA Election for the 2018 Board of Directors in March. The 2018 election ballots will be mailed out to your official billing address on file early next year.

If your official billing address is not your home address in Sun City Shadow Hills and you plan on residing in the community during the election, we recommend you fill out this form and mail it to the HOA Office (address on the bottom of this form) or drop it off at the HOA Office or send an email to notices@scshca.com requesting the change and allow us to use your Sun City Shadow Hills address to mail out your 2018 election ballot.

We must receive your request no later than 5:00 PM PST on Friday, December 30, 2017 to be able to properly mail your election ballot out.

We welcome the last month of the year with open arms! Starting December 12, I will be conducting group Power Plate orientations for those that have never experience vibration training and its benefits, this will be on Tuesdays at 2:00 PM for a maximum of 6 people. Sign up at Montecito Fitness Desk in advance.

Health and Wellness Lectures
If you haven’t reserved your spot for our next two upcoming lectures, please email me or call either desk to RSVP: (760) 345-4349 ext 2111.

Fascial Stretch Therapy
December 2 at 10:30 AM
This lecture will talk about what Fascia tissue is and what happens to the body when our tissues hold lactic acid and what can we do to treat and prevent. The benefits of FST include improved posture, functional ability to perform and do what you couldn’t before, release of pain, restoration of normal joint space resulting in better sports performance and lifestyle.

Eisenhower: Everything You Want to Know about Aging…
December 5 at 5:00 PM
Join us for Eisenhower’s second lecture to Sun City, learn all about what happens as we age and how we can be proactively enhance our lives with vitality.

Schedule Changes
Starting December, Our Tai Chi Qigong classes on Tuesday and Thursday will now be at 6:30 PM.

Happy tappers have stopped classes on Tuesdays at 2:00 PM due to lack of participation.

Treadmills at Santa Rosa
All treadmill running belts and decks have been replaced at Santa Rosa Fitness Center as of Wednesday, November 29.

Valeria Batross
Fitness Director

“Forget what we became, what matters is what we’ve become, and our potentials to overcome.” – Aniekee Tochukwu

At Sun City Shadow Hills, we are a vibrant community consisting of residents with a diverse array of experience and expertise. The willingness of our residents to share that experience and expertise is what sets SCSH apart.

Volunteers are the heart of our community.

Currently our Emergency Preparedness Sub-Committee is seeking volunteers. The EPSC, under the direction of Jeff Kirkpatrick, has formulated a comprehensive plan to assist our residents in the event of a catastrophic event. This plan focuses on preparedness with the goal of Self Sufficiency and Self Reliance.

In order for this plan to be operationally ready, volunteers are needed. Below is a list of the volunteer opportunities with the EPSC. Volunteers will be trained and assigned.

SCSH is divided into 20 tracts, referred to as Divisions. One volunteer per division.

Windshield Survey Team - this group will assess damage and track the Red/Green cards.

Security Relief Team - this group will staff the Jefferson and 40th Avenue gates if needed.

Generator Team - will be responsible for maintaining emergency electric generators.

Radio Team – Amateur/HAM radio operators with their own radios participating on the local emergency radio net (RACES)

If you are interested in lending your experience and expertise to this effort, please complete an Advisory Committee Interest Form and turn in to the HOA Office. Download the form by clicking here or pick one up at the HOA office. Please return your completed form to the HOA office.

After more than 2 years of very hard work by our volunteer resident Governing Documents Committee, 4 months of homeowner comments, our HOA attorney’s review and discussions by our Board, our HOA Board voted unanimously to amend the documents in the following 4 ways: (This vote was to approve placing them on the ballot).

Remove the reference to Pulte, the Developer – where appropriate

Remove the 2-year term limit for committee member’s service, allowing for members to serve multiple terms, if they choose to.

Remove cumulative voting every other year.

Minimum Rental Time Period – 45 Days. This removes the ability to rent your home for a minimum of one night provided a property manager is utilized.

The CC&Rs and By-Laws will be coming in your mailbox in late November on a computer “thumb drive.” For those unfamiliar with how to use a thumb drive, please feel free to drop by the HOA office and pick up a hard copy of these documents. It is very important for all homeowners to read these governing documents, as these are what we are agreeing to abide by for the future.

For more information on the Voting Ballot and the Measures we will be voting on, the HOA President, Mr. Kim Fuller will be hosting two Town Hall Meetings to discuss the ballot and the measures. Please join him either Wednesday, Nov. 23 at 7:00 pm or Tuesday, Dec. 12 at 9:00 am in the Montecito Clubhouse.

Last Tuesday, a group of pet owners, golfers, and concerned homeowners, met with Kim Fuller the President of the HOA, and John Petersen the Chairman of the Facilities & Services Advisory Committee, in an effort to resolve the recent Dog Walking issues.

Some of the Issues & Concerns discussed were:

Homeowners have repeatedly reported people walking dogs along the rear side of their homes, which back up to the golf course.

Golfers have reported that they have had to wait to tee-off as they wait for dog walkers to move away from the bunkers and greens near green #7 on the south course.

Pet owners who allow their pets to run loose or take them on the areas in and around the ponds, bunkers and golf cart paths.

The HOA Board is concerned about the community's liability related to the safety issue of a dog walker and or dog being hit by a golf ball along the Avenida Sombra area near green #7 on the south course.

The next steps in solving the issues will be:

Until permanent rules are approved, pet owners will be able to walk their pets along the sidewalks on Sun City Blvd. holding their pet on a leash, not exceeding 12 feet in length, and allowing them to walk on the grass adjacent to the sidewalk.

As a first step, Kim Fuller will instruct staff to place a few signs along the grass on Avenida Sombra, just east of Sun City Boulevard, which say “For Everyone’s Safety Please…NO WALKING-NO JOGGING-NO BICYCLES-NO DOGS…On Golf Course, Thank You”. These signs will be placed approximately 3 feet from the street.

A survey of each hole on the south course will be conducted to determine if the ’12 foot rule' is realistic and doable, and to identify any other areas of possible concern.

Kim Fuller will have an open meeting regarding this issue in the next couple of weeks to discuss our progress and get feedback from concerned homeowners.

Thanksgiving week traditionally marks the beginning of the December holiday season - Black Friday, Cyber Monday, and of course, decorating your home for the holidays.

For those residents wondering what is permitted with respect to holiday decorating, Design Rule 4.19 states:

“Exterior holiday decorations are permitted. However, the design and quality of the decorations shall be in good taste, and the DRC, in its sole discretion, maintains the right to determine if such holiday decorations are in good taste. Exterior decorations may be displayed on an Owner’s lot up to ten (10) days prior to the holiday and must be removed within five (5) days after the holiday, with the exception of the December holidays, when exterior decorations may be displayed beginning Thanksgiving Day until January 10 of the December holiday season.

Holiday decorations must not cause light glare to neighbors or other safety hazards related to vehicular or pedestrian traffic.” (Emphasis added)

“String and icicle type lighting is not permitted. The exception will be the December holidays where this type of lighting is used for decorating.” (Emphasis added)

On behalf of the Board of Directors, Associa/DRM and your Information Advisory Committee, we wish you all a very Happy Holiday Season. May the air be filled with Peace, Love and Tolerance for all!!! Happy decorating!

For the last couple of weeks our SCSH G4S Security has been stopping and letting dog-walkers know, they cannot walk their dogs on the golf course, as a courtesy to dog-walkers. The current rule states under section 2.20.4 of our Rules and Regulations that “Pets are not permitted on any golf course at any time”. It also states in section 5.1.10 for golf course “Use: Pets, walkers, joggers, bicyclists, and golf carts (or other similar sized four-wheeled vehicles) are not allowed on the golf course at any time”.

Security has been informing these residents that signs have been ordered and will be installed in the next few weeks. These signs will be placed along the areas of the golf course that border streets, to make it clear pet walking, jogging, walking is not allowed on the golf course.

Further, security has been letting the homeowners know that once the signs have been installed, they will begin enforcing the rule by writing tickets to offenders, after a period of warning homeowners.

The officers have been encouraging residents to use the dog parks or the north channel in order to avoid problems. They have recently heard comments from homeowners, complaining that “we won’t be allowing them to walk their dogs anywhere on Sun City Blvd”. We don’t know where this rumor started, but it is untrue. We want to clarify all streets and sidewalks are accessible for walking dogs, jogging, etc.

Once again, we are asking dog-walkers to use the common area facilities provided (the 2 Dog Parks and the North Channel, primarily) to walk their dogs. We thank you for your cooperation.

The Desert Sun recently published an article on our very own SCSH Golf Course renovation project, which was completed this August. “The goal is to be the No. 1 choice for our residents. We want to create value for the Sun City Shadow Hills residents,” Vaughn said.

Read what else Rolland Vaughn, General Manager of the SCSH Golf Club, has to say about the project here:

Desert Resort Management (DRM) is pleased to announce Rich Smetana has been selected to be the General Manager at Sun City Shadow Hills. Rich has served SCSH since June 2014, as the Assistant General Manager. Rich Smetana replaces Interim Manager, Kerry Leavitt. Please welcome Rich to his new position.

The most recent Meet A Board Member event took place on Thursday, November 9 at the Montecito Clubhouse. Approximately 35 residents attended. President Kim Fuller and Secretary Agi Kessler were the Board members in attendance. General Manager Kerry Leavitt was also in attendance.

Kim and Agi led an open discussion and answered resident questions. Among the topics discussed were the updating of the CC&R’s, the proposed changes to the fine schedule, the status of the Shadows Restaurant, fitness class fees, the status of financial discrepancy recovery, the new proposed pool rules and the clarification of golf course and common areas.

Meet A Board Member is an opportunity to get to know your Board members in a small and open setting. Board members, like the committees at SCSH, are volunteers acting in the best interest of all the homeowners in our community.

Plan to attend the next Meet the Board event scheduled for Thursday, December 14 at 3:00 pm at the Montecito Clubhouse.

The season is upon us and that means fun and camaraderie for all. It also means it’s time for a refresh on earthquake preparedness. Earthquakes are not something most of us want to talk about, or think about - but this is Southern California and Southern California is highly susceptible to quakes.

Preparedness is an ongoing process. A good place to start is by attending the next Disaster Preparedness 101 class on Wed. Nov 22. The class is presented by Jeff Kirkpatrick, a SCSH resident and Chair of the Emergency Preparedness Subcommittee.

For starters, let’s talk about what to do during an earthquake. It’s impossible to tell from the initial shaking if an earthquake will become intense. Federal, State and Local emergency management experts agree - DROP, COVER and HOLD ON.*

DROP to the ground, before the earthquake drops you.COVER your head and neck with your arms and get under a sturdy desk or table.HOLD ON to your shelter and be prepared to move with it until the shaking stops.

The peace of mind preparedness brings will add to your enjoyment of the season. Grab a friend and register for the class.

Featured Podcast

We are very fortunate to have a team of computer aficionados who are eager to share their knowledge with the residents. This week Bob interviews two of the leaders: Traci Barnett and Suzy Kerekes. Tune in to learn their plans for 2018. Bob Firring, Susy Kerekes, and Traci Barnett Do you have an idea for […]